What are best reproducing forage fish (not sport fish) to introduce for the benefit of SMB?
So along this theme what may represent optimum? I know some members have had good success with GSH but what are your thoughts about whether it they are an optimal forage? But do they get too large, for example, to be optimal? Snipe has introduced RSH and BNM and has observed reproduction in a pond already stocked with fish. Many ponds can also sustain populations of Gams. Are they large enough to represent optimal forage? Can a combination of these smaller minnows contribute as much usable forage as can GSH?
When I see SMB, the first forage item that comes to mind is crayfish. They do have their risks, though. GSH are good, but you need to make sure the shiners don't outgrow the smaller mouth gape of the SMB (See Shorty's thread on here titled "On the fly tonight" where he's removed 250+ 5.5-8" GSH from his 1/4 acre SMB pond).
Just like anything else, one change affects another. In my case, I stocked Crawfish at the same time as initial stocking of SMB.
2lbs of crawfish with 55 2.5" SMB. Looking back I see now how big of a mistake that was as the craws reproduced and OUTproduced the SMB. My vegetation disappeared, my water was turbid, it was an obvious mistake.
Crawfish are also lower in protein than fish..so I believe SMB are going to grow best on a mixture of fish, craws and inverts..the ratio is an unknown. I have GSH similar to shorty's but I planned ahead just enough there to introduce SAE in very low number with complete speculation that they would keep the bigger GSH thinned out. So far, that seems to be working.
I also don't think a 6" shiner is too big for an 18-19" SMB but the question is will they chase it?? is there something else easier to catch that satisfies the SMB. Satisfied and growing at max rate are not the same..Highest return on invested energy is key.
I had thoughts that YP would be a possible food source for smallies as well, nd I'm sure they do get a few but after observing YP from 2" to 6", I can assure you they are underestimated as an aggressive fish, and very very quick.
I know there is way more to this than we will ever know but I still believe the statement Bill made on keeping a diverse forage/food web is more important for SMB than it is for "some" other species.
